Padawan Capers featuring ObiWan, Siri, Garen
by Obiwan456
Summary: Obi-Wan faces some challenges when he accepts a rather dubious mission from Qui-Gon. Story told in 2 parts, written for a humor challenge. Part 2 now up, COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**This was written for a Humor Quote challenge on another forum. The Quote: "If I'm the brains of this operation, we are in serious trouble". **

**Many thanks goes to Valairy Scot for the beta on this. Thanks Val for your help! **

"Are you sure about this, Obi-Wan?" asked Garen. He and Siri had met him outside the training rooms after lightsaber drills where he hadexplained what he was going to do.

"Of course I am!" Obi-Wan responded lightly, "Why do you ask?"

"Because this is so strange!" Garen said as they walked together toward the lifts, "And why ask us to help you with this?"

"Master Qui-Gon told me I could get help from a couple friends if I want to."

"But this seems so crazy!" Siri said. "This doesn't seem like something a master would tell his padawan to do!"

"He told me it's a stealth exercise, a challenge because I reached Senior Padawan status," Obi-Wan explained. They stopped walking as Siri turned to him, looking at him intently.

"So this is what happens when someone reaches Senior Padawan, their master can send them on insane challenges?" she asked, her previously concerned eyes giving way to the humor already twitching at her mouth.

Garen shook his head at her. "When I made Senior Padawan status recently, my master didn't send me on a crazy mission like this," he said.

Obi-Wan stopped and looked up at his slightly taller friend for a moment, thinking about what he had said. Finally his eyebrows rose along with his shoulders as he said, "I don't know, Garen, every master is different I guess. I just know my Master asked me to do this challenge, and I'm going to do it."

His firmly set jaw and determined spark in his eyes told them there was no sense arguing with him any longer.

"Ok, Obi-Wan, but why Master Yoda?" Siri wondered as they began walking toward the lifts again. "How are we going to sneak into his quarters while he's sleeping? Nothing gets by him!"

"Master Qui-Gon said if I can do this without waking him and being caught, then I can get by anything. And he promised me a reward if I succeed!"

He looked at his friends eagerly, a rare excitement shining in his eyes. Obi-Wan was not normally one to do things for rewards, but his master seemed to think this reward was pretty special, and it had Obi-Wan anticipating what it might be.

"But his gimer stick!" Siri pressed him, still trying to understand. "Why take his gimer stick? Isn't that kind of mean?" The three padawans had reached the lifts and Obi-Wan entered the code for Yoda's floor.

"All Master Qui-Gon said was if I can bring back his gimer stick, proving that I'm successful, I will get a reward and Master Yoda's gimer stick will be immediately returned to him. It's easy!"

"It's easy, he says." Garen scoffed, running his fingers through his hair. "So Genius, do you have a plan on how we're going to get into his apartment? Did your Master tell you how to do it?"

"Now what would be the fun in that?" Obi-Wan said with a grin, "No, he told me I have to figure it out myself, and I have it all worked out."

"Oh brother! If you're the brains of this operation, we are in serious trouble!" Garen groaned.

"Thanks a lot, buddy, your confidence is really touching!" Obi-Wan lightly patted his friend's shoulder. Siri chuckled.

"Oh, you doubt me too, Siri?" Obi-Wan turned to her, his eyebrows raised as he gazed at her teasingly.

"Of course not, Obi-Wan dear," she tilted her head at him playfully, "if this challenge is possible at all, the Perfect Padawan will certainly be the one to do it." She stared intently at him, daring him to say anything.

He just stared back at her, and their gazes held each other for a moment.

"All right you two, enough flirting." Garen interrupted their silent stare down.

"Flirting!" Obi-Wan broke his gaze from Siri to turn to Garen. "Who said we were flirting? We were just..."

"Never mind, Kenobi," Siri stopped him with a touch to is shoulder. She glanced at Garen with a warning, and then looked back at Obi-Wan. "So what is your big plan?"

They were almost to Yoda's floor, which was mainly reserved for elderly Masters without padawans, and Council members. Obi-Wan laid out his plan briefly.

"Simple. I did some investigating yesterday, and found out Yoda always takes an hour nap before evening meal. It's the best time to do this because he rarely sleeps much during the night, almost always meditating. His floor is not very busy at this time as most of the Masters are either in the dining hall for dinner, observing sparring practices or meditating somewhere. Now, Master Yoda's door has a squeak, so I ruled out trying to sneak in that way."

"Then how do we get in?" Garen asked, eyeing Obi-Wan suspiciously.

"Through the air vent, of course!" Obi-Wan answered, grinning confidently at his friends.

Garen waved his hand casually, and with a mocking tone said, "Oh, of course, the air vents! Master Yoda will never hear that!"

"How do we get in there?" Siri asked him, ignoring Garen's reaction.

"Through the storage closet down the hall. Every floor has an air vent in the storage hall that connects to the vents in that floor. All we have to do is go in through that vent, follow the correct passageway to Yoda's apartment. Siri can help me get the vent off. I'll slip down, get the gimer stick, jump back up into the vent where Siri can help me quickly and carefully put the vent back on, and we're home free!"

"Oh, and what will I be doing while you two are roaming the air vents?" Garen wondered.

"You'll stand watch at the storage closet, make sure the vent is back on where we enter and be ready to remove it to let us out when we're back."

"And Siri is going with you on this little excursion?" Garen asked, eyes sparking humor. "I know what this is", he nodded knowingly, "alone time with Siri."

Obi-Wan huffed, "She's smaller than you, Garen, she'll be able to slip through the vents with me easier than you."

"Uh-huh, I understand." Garen mocked. He had known for awhile that Obi-Wan and Siri had feelings for each other, but he also knew they would never act on those feelings..they were too much Jedi, but he loved to tease them every chance he got, knowing how much it annoyed Obi-Wan. He enjoyed seeing his friend squirm.

They had reached Yoda's floor and after the lift doors opened, Obi-Wan peeked out and looked up and down the hall. He discreetly sensed his surroundings with the force then finally said, "Ok it's clear, let's go."

They quietly slipped down the hall the opposite way of Yoda's apartment. They reached the end of the hall where the storage closet was and slipped inside. Once the door was closed Obi-Wan turned on the light.

"Do you know how to get to Master Yoda's apartment this way?" Siri asked.

"Yes, I memorized the vent blue prints in the archives last night," Obi-Wan said.

"I still wonder how you are going to open a vent in Master Yoda's apartment, slip in there without making a sound, get his gimer stick and slip back into the vent without waking him! Your force signature alone will alert him!" Garen worried. "And if you're caught, will Master Qui-Gon explain it so we don't get in trouble?"

"Actually, no," Obi-Wan sheepishly responded, blushing slightly. "Sorry guys, I should have told you earlier but he told me every mission has risks, so if we're caught we will have to endure whatever punishment Yoda sees fit."

"Now you tell us!" Siri exclaimed, punching Obi-Wan in the arm. "I have a good mind to leave you here, you big gundark!"

"Shh, Siri not so loud." Obi-Wan's eyes widened in alarm as he put his finger against her mouth to shush her. "I'm sorry, I should have told you earlier but come on guys...stay with me...ok?" Obi-Wan looked at them both, his blue gray eyes earnest and almost pleading.

Siri sighed. "Oh, Obi-Wan, you know I can't say no when you look at me with those big goopy eyes of yours." Her hands reached up and pinched his cheeks teasingly. Garen snorted.

"Yeah, me too. You know I can't resist "goopy eyes." Garen rolled his eyes.

Obi-Wan shot Garen a warning look, but then grinned at them in relief, "Thanks guys, I owe you one".

"You bet you do," Siri said, turning toward the vent in question.

Obi-Wan stepped over to the vent. It was at the upper part of the wall and had a vent cover with fasteners to hold it in place. Obi-Wan quietly undid the fasteners and removed the vent cover. It made a soft scraping sound as it came down from the opening.

"That had better not happen at Master Yoda's vent," Garen whispered.

Obi-Wan looked at Garen and nodded, eyebrows raised in agreement. He removed his robe and lightsaber and gave them to Garen for safekeeping. He gestured to Siri to do the same. She did so, then he instructed Garen, "After we're inside replace the vent cover and wait. If someone comes in for anything, act like you're looking for something for your Master or something..or just hide if you can. Hopefully nobody comes."

"Yeah, you have this all worked out," Garen muttered to himself.

"Come on Garen, you're resourceful. You'll think of something if you need to. When we come back, make sure no one is coming then take the vent down again to let us out."

"Ho-kaay!" Garen said nervously. "Let's get this thing done so we can get out of here."

Obi-Wan jumped lightly into the vent opening then reached his hand out to help Siri up.

"I can do it myself!" Siri protested, jumping up to the opening. Obi-Wan pulled her in and Garen quickly put the vent cover back on.

"May the force be with you two," Garen whispered to them.

Obi-Wan nodded and they began to quietly crawl on their hands and knees through the vents. Obi-Wan turned and whispered to Siri, "We need to mute our force signatures so we won't be easily detected and I will try to get into his apartment and get the stick using as little of the force as possible. Garen was right; Yoda could pick up a force presence if we're not careful enough."

Siri nodded and they proceeded. The vent was dusty and dirty and they were soon brushing dirt and webbing out of their face and hair. Siri followed Obi-Wan silently as he made the twists and turns to get to their destination. Soon they were peering out of the vent into Yoda's apartment. They could see Yoda's little room and his kitchen with his infamous stew simmering on the cooking unit. They wrinkled their noses at the distastefull smell it emitted. Just off the room they could hear light snores. Obi-Wan glanced back at Siri with an impish grin.

He silently and carefully worked the vent off Yoda's wall. The vent was near the ceiling, but Yoda had low ceilings so it wasn't a long way to the ground. He carefully pulled the vent in and silently gave it to Siri who took it carefully, putting it behind them in the vent. Obi-Wan looked into the room, gauging the best way to jump in without noise when he felt Siri's arm on him. He turned his face towards her, a questioning look in his eyes. She gazed at him warmly and kissed him on the cheek.

His eyes lit up, pleasantly surprised. "Why did you do that?" he mouthed.

She shrugged with a smile and mouthed, "For good luck."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes mouthing, "You know there's no such things as..."

He stopped when she impatiently shook her head. Her eyes flashed annoyance as she gave him a little push and mouthed, "Just go!"

Just before he jumped into the room, he looked back at her again and gave her a bright smile which lit up his eyes. Then he quietly jumped down.

Siri watched him silently jump into the room, and sighed. Obi-Wan could make her madder than anyone she knew, but when he looked at her with those big sparkling blue/gray eyes and that winning smile, she felt like a big ol' mushy puddle. He always did that to her and that aggravated her. She could never stay angry with him for long. She watched him as he quietly crept toward Yoda's room.

"Please don't get caught, Kenobi," she silently prayed.

Obi-Wan checked his shields to make sure they were in place then silently went into Yoda's room. He was sound asleep on his bed, his gimer stick resting on the little table next to it.

Obi-Wan suddenly felt nervous. He desperately tried to keep his force signature muted, not daring to use the force lest he alert Yoda. He had been in much tougher situations on missions without the anxiety he was fighting now, but this was Yoda, the strongest, most respected and revered Jedi alive. He was suddenly wondering why he agreed to this challenge, he found himself now agreeing with his two friends...this was indeed crazy! But he was here and couldn't back out now. He made himself push the negative thoughts away. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat and was sure that gulp could be heard clear to the senate building. He slowly crept closer to where Yoda was sleeping, keeping an eye on him and on the gimer stick. Yoda's snores suddenly stopped and Obi-Wan froze, his eyes huge and his heart pounding loudly in his ears. He eyed Yoda warily, who stirred and moved in the little bed and now faced the table with the gimer stick. His clawed hand reached out and grasped the stick.

"That's it, I'm caught". Obi-Wan closed his eyes tightly and braced himself, waiting for the fatal blow but after a few moments, Yoda's snores began again. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and silently sighed in relief, feeling the thumping of his heart against his chest. He dropped to his knees but as he slowly reached for the stick, he suddenly realized Yoda had not let go of it yet.

"Drat!" he cursed to himself, "How am I going to get it now?" He briefly considered a force suggestion, but quickly abandoned that as insane.

He stood frozen in place and wondered what to do next. His thoughts were so intent on how to get the stick, he wasn't prepared when Yoda's voice suddenly rang out.

"PADAWAN KENOBI!"

As Obi-Wan peeled himself off the ceiling, he realized he was still firmly planted where he had been; inches from Yoda's stick. He felt paralyzed in that spot. Perhaps Yoda could use him for a cloak stand or a hanger for his stick, he mused to himself. He felt quite sure he would be glued to this spot for the rest of his life, or at least his Padawanship. He vaguely wondered if Qui-Gon would come visit him to feed him and give him Jedi platitudes to ponder; that might be nice...

His brain slowly regained reason as he gradually came to the realization that Yoda was indeed still sleeping and was in fact dreaming...about him!

"Oh, that's not good," he thought worriedly.

The gimer stick suddenly swished through the air, just missing Obi-Wan by inches, "What mean you, young Kenobi, putting a purple powder bomb in the men's fresher unit where Master Windu was?"

"He's dreaming about that time when I was 13 and played that prank on Master Windu," Obi-Wan realized. He remembered how angry Master Windu had been and how funny he had looked, covered in purple powder from head to toe. Obi-Wan had tried hard to stifle his giggles for he had known he was in big trouble. Obi-Wan had to thoroughly scrub the men's fresher unit, meditate for hours about it and then apologize to Master Windu. He could never be sure, but he could have sworn that under the stern glare he received from him, there was an amused twinkle in his eyes.

Yoda chuckled softly , "An amusing sight that was. But too much like your Master, you are Young Kenobi." Yoda was shaking his stick inches from Obi-Wan's face though he was leaning as far away as possible from it with eyes impossibly wide. He dared not breath and felt shaky and light headed. He was barely holding himself steady as his brain screamed at him not to faint. Sweat began to trickle down his cheeks and the side of his neck. It took everything in him to not jerk and scratch the tickle the sweat caused.

"A bad influence, he is. A bad influence," Yoda continued. Then he relaxed his arm, slowly putting the stick back on the little table as he chuckled again. He then rolled over and resumed snoring.

Obi-Wan slowly let out the breath he had been holding. His shaking hands felt balmy but he finally reached out, grabbed the gimer stick and quickly and quietly backtracked out of Yoda's room. Once he was out, he turned and sprinted to the vent where Siri was anxiously waiting. He handed her the stick and quickly jumped back into the vent, put the cover back on and fastened it, then moved silently behind Siri till they reached an inter-section several feet away from Yoda's room. Only then did Obi-Wan stop, sit still, slow his breathing down and breathe in and out, letting his pounding heart return to normal as much as possible.

"What happened in there?" Siri quietly exclaimed, gazing with concern at his damp, flushed face and near panicked eyes. She had never seen him as tense as when he came back to the vent where she was waiting, and she had seen him nervous and tense plenty of times in the past. "I heard Master Yoda yelling your name and I was sure you were caught!" She massaged his shoulders and arms, trying to help him relax a little.

"I thought so too," Obi-Wan gasped when he had more control of his breathing. "He was dreaming about something I did when I was 13."

He grinned ruefully at Siri, still panting.

Siri took his hand and squeezed gently. A gentle, sympathetic humor touched her eyes as she took his face in her hands and gently stroked his cheeks with her thumbs.

"My poor Obi-Wan, you even haunt Master Yoda's dreams."

"It would seem so." Obi-Wan softly replied as he closed his eyes and relaxed in her gentle caresses. After a few minutes he opened his eyes and looked at her gratefully. They gazed at one another for a long moment. Siri finally put her hands down into her lap and sighed softly.

"You ready?" she asked.

Obi-Wan nodded, feeling much better. "Let's get out of here. We wouldn't want Garen thinking something's going on here." He looked at her and grinned.

She laughed softly, "Oh no, we wouldn't want that!"

They made it back to the storage room where Garen quickly checked to make sure no one was coming, then took the vent cover down and let them out.

"Any problems?"

"Nope. Not a thing going on here", Garen answered, sounding slightly bored. "What about you?"

"Had a couple of intense moments, but I got it!" he said triumphantly, holding up the stick.

"Intense moments!" Siri exclaimed, "I thought he was going to pass out when we got back into the vents!"

"Well, I'm sure your gentle ministrations were all he needed," Garen quipped, leaning toward Siri teasingly.

Siri pushed him away as Obi-Wan blushed. Garen saw his face and laughed, "I knew it!"

"Garen, you're almost as irritating as Obi-Wan!" Siri protested, annoyed. "He just needed a few minutes to catch his breath."

"Okay! Sorry, Siri," Garen said with a grin, backing off. "I hope Qui-Gon's reward is worth it."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I'll be sure and share it with you two." Garen had retrieved the robes and lightsabers from their hiding spot and the other two donned them again.

They quietly slipped back out of the storage closet and were almost back to the lifts when they stopped all at once, glanced at each other, then at the lift doors. One of the doors opened to reveal Mace Windu walking out. Obi-Wan, who was still holding the stick, had been against the far wall with the other two right next to him when Master Windu approached them, a puzzled look on his face.

Obi-Wan felt a slot behind him and quickly shoved the stick into it, then stood with his hands still behind his back kicking himself that he didn't have the forethought to hide the thing in his robes when he had the chance.

"What are you three doing up here?" Master Windu asked them sternly. The three teens stood, looking as calm and stoic as they could but at a loss to know what to say.

"Um…we were...ah..." Obi-Wan stammered.

Siri spoke up. "I was sent up here to give Master Yoda a message from my Master. Obi-Wan and Garen just accompanied me."

"She couldn't have just sent him a comm message?" Master Windu asked suspiciously.

"Well, she knew he was sleeping at this time and she didn't want to risk waking him with the noisy beeps, so she just had me slip a note under his door." Siri knew it didn't really sound plausible, but she had nothing else, "And these two aren't coming up wtih anything better," she thought to herself with annoyance.

"Hm.." Master Windu looked unconvinced but said, " Well, shouldn't you be getting to the dining hall while it's still meal time?"

"Yes Master, we were just going to head that way." Obi-Wan said, standing ramrod straight with his hands held stiffly at his side.

"Hmm, well, on your way then." Master Windu turned and continued on his way to his quarters. The trio didn't see the amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth as he walked away.

The trio waited till Master Windu had turned the corner, then Garen and Siri started to head for the lifts but when they turned to urge Obi-Wan along, they stopped. Obi-Wan continued to stand stock still, but there was a look on his face they couldn't decipher.

Siri walked up to Obi-Wan with concern. "Obi-Wan, what's wrong now?"

Obi-Wan looked at her, his face pale and his eyes wide.

"When I saw Master Windu, I panicked and dropped Master Yoda's gimer stick down this slot."

He moved aside and the teens saw the trash bin with a slot opening big enough to take Yoda's small gimer stick.

"Obi-Wan, you didn't!". Siri exclaimed, exasperated. "After all this?"

"I know, I know!" Obi-Wan groaned. "I should have hidden it in my robes earlier, but I didn't. Now what do I do?"

"Let's see if we can get it" Garen suggested. He unhooked the latch to the trash bin and opened it. There was an opening that dropped down into the depths of the temple.

Obi-Wan looked inside and murmured, "Down, down. That's a long, long way down." He seemed to be unable to grasp that the stick was indeed gone. "All the way down to the bottom, huh? Come on, little stick, I need you to come back to me now!" he softly intoned.

Siri looked at Garen with concern. "I think he's losing it," she whispered.

"No..no..I'm not losing it." Obi-Wan looked at her with a strange gleam in his eyes. "I've already lost it."

He leaped head first into the trash bin as Siri and Garen grabbed his feet just in time. "Obi-Wan, what are you doing?" Siri gasped.

"I'm going to get the gimer stick!" he said matter of factly, as though he were planning a walk in the garden.

"You can't, Kenobi, it's too far down!"

"Well, just let go of my feet, let me slide down and meet me in the trash room in the lower level. I'll find the stick!" Obi-Wan said in a tinny, hollow voice. This seemed perfectly logical to him.

"That's insane!" Siri was now near panic. "You can't!"

"No!" Garen said firmly, agreeing with Siri, "It's too dangerous. You'll get yourself hurt and wind up in the healers ward again."

"Yeah, like that hasn't happened a million times," the muffled, tinny voice called back to them.

"Just let me go, I'll be fine!"

Suddenly Siri and Garen, whose heads had been half into the trash bin around Obi-Wan's leg as they had tried to reason with him, heard a "Harumph" behind them. They froze for a moment, then lifted their heads and looked at each other in surprise as they heard the soft tapping on the floor. Keeping hold of Obi-Wan's feet, they slowly turned and gasped when they saw Yoda standing there, solemnly gazing at them with wide, unblinking eyes.

"Looking for this you are, hmmm?" he asked, and waved the gimer stick at them.

End of Part 1, tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

"Oh…M...Master Yoda" Siri stammered, "We didn't see you!"

"Know this, I do!" Yoda answered them. "Always in the force, be attuned, then sneak up on you, no one can!"

"Yes, Master Yoda," both of them said. Obi-Wan's feet slipped a little out of their hands and he shifted a little. Garen frantically grasped his legs more tightly, and Siri grabbed his boots. They found it nearly impossible to retain their composure before the little Jedi Master in such a position, but they made an effort. Both turned toward Yoda, bowing their heads respectfully and tried to look relaxed and casual with their arms wrapped around their friend's legs as though it was an everyday occurrence, just another evening in the Temple.

Yoda looked at them with his wizened old eyes, his ears twitching like antenna, attuned to the waves of the force and glanced at the booted feet the two Padawans held desperately onto. He nodded slightly.

"Hmmph, pull young Kenobi out, you will. Then follow me, you will," he said, beginning to walk back down the hall.

"What's going on out there?" a hollow voice called out. "The sound is kind of muffled in here! Are you talking to someone? "

Siri called down "Hush!" then she and Garen set about tugging on Obi-Wan, their efforts accompanied by Obi-Wan's "ooomphs" and grunts and "Ow! Wait, my sleeve is caught!" Finally he was standing in the hall, brushing dust and dirt off of his tunic and mussed hair. He stood facing his friends, unaware that anyone else was near.

"What's going on here?" he softly demanded. "Why didn't you let me go down there? I could have found the stick!" Siri and Garen vigorously shook their heads at Obi-Wan, Siri making a "be quiet" gesture with her hands.

Yoda had turned again when he heard the commotion.

"You should have let me go down there! I could have found Master Yoda's gimer stick! How are we going to get it back now?"

The two rolled their eyes and stared pointedly at him as Obi-Wan suddenly stopped, understanding dawning on him.

"He's right behind me, isn't he?"

Siri and Garen helplessly nodded yes. Obi-Wan slowly turned around, looked at Yoda who glared at him, his gimer stick in his hand. Obi-Wan's jaw dropped when he saw it.

"How did you get...!" he stopped suddenly, then straightened up and bowed stiffly. "Good evening, Master Yoda."

"Good evening, Padawan Kenobi. Follow me, you three will." He turned and headed back to his apartment, the three padawans dejectedly following.

Obi-Wan glanced as his two companions. "How does he have his….ow!" as both of his friends sharply elbowed him. "Hush!" Siri hissed.

They reached Yoda's apartment where he opened his door, which squeaked a little, and allowed the padawans to enter.

"Hmph, get this squeak fixed, I must," Yoda murmured to himself.

The padawans stood in the center of Yoda's main room, waiting quietly. The ceiling was low, but they could stand in it. They looked at Yoda, and wondered why he didn't say anything. They nervously glanced at each other. Obi-Wan glanced at Yoda's bedroom door and shuddered slightly, remembering the moments he had spent here just a little while ago. He had hoped not to see the inside of Yoda's apartment again for a long, long time. He sighed as Siri inched a little closer to him in support.

Soon there was a soft knock on Yoda's door, and when Yoda said, "Enter!" the door opened, and in walked Qui-Gon, Adi Gallia and Clee Rhara, Garen's master.

All three teens stood astonished; their jaws dropped.

"Close your mouths, you will, young ones!" Yoda said sternly.

Three jaws snapped shut. The masters faced their padawans, arms folded and impassive looks on their faces. Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon curiously.

"Isn't he going to say anything?" Obi-Wan wondered to himself. "He told me to do this!"

He knew what his Master had told him about getting caught, but he had hoped Qui-Gon would have said something to help him.

Qui-Gon just stood there with the other masters, looking as though he knew nothing about this escapade. Obi-Wan inwardly nodded his acceptance of the situation. Just like Qui-Gon had said, if they were caught, they must accept whatever punishment Yoda saw fit. He calmly awaited his fate, ready to defend his friends if needed. This wasn't their fault, he reasoned, he pulled them into this. He thought he saw his Master look at him with a hint of approval, but his face remained passive and unreadable. Obi-Wan sighed again.

Adi Gallia spoke first. "Would one of you mind telling us who is responsible for this?"

Two fingers pointed at Obi-Wan. He glanced at them and muttered, "Thanks guys."

Yoda quietly hobbled over to the vent at his ceiling, all eyes following him. He studied it for a moment, and then lowered his head, shaking it sadly. He then slowly walked over to his bedroom door and just stood there a moment, looking in.

Everyone else stood silently, watching him.

Finally he walked up to Obi-Wan, looked at him with ears drooping, eyes sad. Obi-Wan couldn't stand to see Yoda looking at him like that. In spite of the fact that Qui-Gon had put him up to this, he felt ashamed.

"Disappointed in you, I am, young Obi-Wan," Yoda finally said, shaking his head sadly. Obi-Wan's head dropped.

Obi-Wan blushed in shame. "I'm so sorry, Master Yoda..." but Yoda cut him off.

"Disappointed that failed your mission, you have." His eyes glinted at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan looked with surprise at Yoda, who twitched his ears and grinned slyly. Obi-Wan looked up to his Master, whose expression remained unchanged. He looked again at Master Yoda.

"Fail…failed my mission?"

"Failed you did, young one. Failed to take my gimer stick, you did, without waking me," Yoda said.

Obi-Wan looked wide eyed at him, then at Qui-Gon who seemed to be intensely interested in some activity outside Yoda's window, then back down to Yoda, "But, ..but..I didn't wake you Master, you were sound asleep!" Obi-Wan protested.

"Yes, sleeping I was, but aware of your presence I was," Yoda answered him as he tapped Obi-Wan chest with his gimer stick.

"But I was soundless! ..I was..." he looked to Siri for help, who just looked at him sympathetically. Qui-Gon shifted his feet slightly, but remained quiet.

"Like a herd of banthas you were, traipsing around in my apartment, young one," Yoda insisted, tapping a little harder on his chest. Obi-Wan put his hand on the spot where Yoda tapped it, rubbing where it was beginning to hurt.

"But I thought..."

"Thought you say? Hm? No, "Thought" you must not, "Know" you must. Only by knowing will you succeed." Yoda looked at him wisely, a spark of humor beginning to light his eyes. He grinned again. The three teens looked at their Masters' questioningly.

Adi cleared her throat and covered her mouth to hide the grin trying to break free. Clee Rhara began blinking and staring at the ceiling as her eyes crinkled with hidden amusement. Qui-Gon stood with his hands behind his back, the impassive mask finally cracking as his mouth twitched and his eyes sparkled with pent up humor.

The three astonished friends slowly realized they were not about to be killed.

Yoda looked again at Obi-Wan and said, "Stealthy you were not, but stealth you will learn, young one."

Obi-Wan humbly bowed his head. "Yes, Master."

"Master Yoda, how did you know Garen and Siri were also involved?" Obi-Wan asked softly.

"Right in front of me, they are, hmm?" Yoda looked at Obi-Wan incredulously.

Obi-Wan blushed and felt like kicking himself, he felt so foolish. "What a stupid question!" he berated himself silently.

"Hmph. Felt them also, I did," Yoda added. He looked at the Masters. "Teach them better to shield, you should!" He warned them.

All the masters cleared their throats and answered, "Yes, Master."

The three Padawans looked at each other and grinned.

Yoda tapped Obi-Wan again, and he looked at him expectantly.

"Now, show you something I must, Young Obi-Wan. Follow me, you will."

Yoda turned and headed for his bedroom, Obi-Wan followed with Garen and Siri behind him, and the Masters coming last.

Yoda went to his closet door near his night table and stood, looking at Obi-Wan.

"Open it, you will."

Obi-Wan opened the door, and gimer sticks began raining on his head. He shouted, jumped out of the way and caught one in his hand. He looked up at the shelf. The upper shelf of Yoda's closet was stocked with enough gimer sticks to smack every Jedi ankle in the Temple simultaneously. He looked at Yoda quizzically.

"A closet full of gimer sticks?"

"Hmph" Yoda chuckled. "Think you were the first Padawan to go on this mission, do you, hmm?" He chuckled again. "No. Attempted this many Padawans have. Failed, all have. Attempted this as a Padawan your own master did. Failed also, he did."

Obi-Wan looked with surprise at Qui-Gon who glanced at the other masters standing with him. Smiles finally broke free and soon they, including the ever serious Master Adi Gallia, began to chuckle quietly, then laughed harder when they saw the totally confused looks on the teens' faces. The teens looked at them astonished, and suddenly felt as if they had been the butt of some kind of joke.

Siri nudged Obi-Wan and murmured, "This is all your fault, Kenobi. I've never seen my Master act like this!"

"Neither have I," agreed Obi-Wan.

He looked at his friends and shrugged helplessly, a surprised, hopeful grin beginning on his face. He watched his Master expectantly and waited till he and the others' laughter had subsided.

After they gained control, Qui-Gon began to explain.

"Every generation for the last several years..."

"Hundreds of years, hmm?" Yoda intoned.

"Yes, you're right, Master Yoda. For hundreds of years there have been some masters who sent their Padawans on this...er…quest...if you will, as an exercise in stealth to see if they can successfully take Yoda's gimer stick while he's sleeping without disturbing him. No one has been successful to date."

"But what about the reward?" Obi-Wan asked his Master.

"There is no reward, Padawan. No Padawan has ever succeeded. No one can get past Yoda." He laughed again.

Yoda spoke up again. "Hmmph. Much source of entertainment for masters, it is."

"Yes, I can tell," Obi-Wan replied sardonically, glancing again at the masters who by this time had pretty much regained control. Siri and Garen nodded in agreement.

Yoda continued, glancing up at his closet shelf still full of gimer stick. "Failed this mission and lost my gimer sticks, many Padawans have. Learned to keep extras, I did." He smiled impishly at Obi-Wan.

As if to emphasize the point, a gimer stick fell out and hit Obi-Wan on the head.

"Ow!" Obi-Wan said, rubbing his head. His friends snickered. He glared at them, and then looked at his Master, "Why did you send me on this mission if it can't be done?" he asked.

Yoda stepped up to Obi-Wan, drawing his attention.

"Why, say you?" he said, leaning on his gimer stick toward Obi-Wan. "The greatest reward there is, a lesson learned, hmmm?"

"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said, bowing his head.

"Now, for you and your cohorts, a reward I do have," Yoda said, turning toward his main room again, the others following.

The three teens looked at each other, wondering.

Yoda stopped at his kitchen. "Sit you will. Stew I will give you to eat! Good it is, hmm?"

The teens looked at each other again; distaste clouding their faces for a moment till they saw their masters' stern faces. All three looked at Master Yoda and bowed.

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan spoke for them. "We would be honored. Thank you."

Yoda smiled with satisfaction.

The teens sat at the little table where Yoda served them full bowls of steaming hot stew. They looked at each other, stoic looks on their faces as they took their first bites.

"Told you!" Garen whispered to Obi-Wan, after forcing himself to swallow the foul tasting concoction.

"Told me what?" Obi-Wan asked, stopping to look at his friend, welcoming the brief respite from eating.

"That we were in serious trouble if you were the brains of this operation," Garen answered, smirking.

"Oh? And what would you have done differently?" Obi-Wan wanted to know.

"Me? I wouldn't have attempted it," Garen answered smugly.

"Ah, a padawan with some brains!" Yoda quipped, tapping Garen with his stick. Garen winced, and everyone laughed.

Yoda looked at the masters. "And you, masters, join us for stew you will, hmmm?"

Three laughing masters suddenly became very serious as they tried to make excuses why they couldn't stay.

"This is my Padawan's reward, not mi…" Qui-Gon started to protest, then stopped when he saw Obi-Wan's expectant face and Yoda's stern gaze.

All three masters glanced at each other, and then bowed to Yoda. Qui-Gon said, "Yes, Master, we would be pleased to have some of your stew."

"Hmm. Largest bowl I have for you, Young One," Yoda said, poking Qui-Gon with his gimer stick.

"Ow," Qui-Gon muttered, smiling bravely as he accepted the largest bowl Yoda had. Obi-Wan

snickered and Qui-Gon shot him a look.

"Brat," he murmured. Obi-Wan smiled widely at him.

At that moment there was a knock on Yoda's door. He answered, "Enter, you will, Master Windu."

Mace Windu stepped into the little apartment, took one look at the assembly, and cracked a wide grin. The teens dropped their jaws in amazement again.

Qui-Gon laughed. "One would think they had never seen Master Windu smile before!" he said.

"We haven't," the three teens said at once. This evening was full of surprises.

Master Windu looked at them and said, "Just as I thought. Another attempted gimer stick heist?"

"Another failed attempt it was, yes," Yoda replied.

Mace's gaze swept over the teens, and landed on Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan swallowed nervously.

"Did you get Yoda's gimer stick out of the trash bin, Padawan Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan looked at him in surprise. "No, Master Windu. It was too far down."

"The trash bin?" Qui-Gon asked, eyeing Obi-Wan. He briefly explained what happened to the renewed entertainment of the masters.

Mace chuckled quietly when Obi-Wan finished, then asked, "And has Master Yoda shown you his secret stash?"

Obi-Wan grinned. "Yes Master Windu".

"Good. Now I must return to my duties before I am coerced into staying for dinner." Mace made a hasty retreat, saying goodnight.

After he left, and everyone settled down to Yoda's stew and the enjoyment of each other's company, Siri touched Obi-Wan's elbow.

He turned to her and she whispered, "Well, this was fun. If I had to get into this kind of trouble I'm glad it was with you, Obi-Wan." She nudged him with her shoulder playfully. "You sure know how to show a girl a good time!"

"You think so, huh?" Obi-Wan grinned at her in response and nudged her back. "Just wait till next time. Maybe we'll raid Master Windu's purple sock drawer."

Siri softly answered, "Sounds like fun," and giggled.

At Siri's giggle, Qui-Gon said, "What are those two whispering about over there?"

Garen answered, "Oh, they're just flirting again."

Obi-Wan protested, "We were not! We were just..." He looked around at everyone's' smile and blushed. "Oh, just never mind." Everyone burst out laughing as Obi-Wan put his hand over his eyes, his blush deepening.

Years later, in the far flung reaches of the galaxy, on one of the hundreds of planets torn apart by the Clone Wars, in the middle of a rare quiet, starry night, Obi-Wan Kenobi slipped quietly out of an enemy tent, shields tight, eyes alert, force senses keen to any disturbance around him. He noted the sentry guards nearby, all of which had no knowledge of his presence. He wrapped his robe tightly around him, smiling slightly as he crept silently away, remembering the lessons of a gimer stick from a long time ago.

He reached his campsite, where Anakin and their clone troops rested and watched. Anakin saw Obi-Wan's approach and eagerly asked, "Did you get it, Master?"

Obi-Wan smiled at him, held up the data pad that held the crucial information that would save thousands of lives.

"Piece of sweetcake." he said, quoting his friend Garen. "They never knew I was there."

The End


End file.
